Nana Konadu Yiadom III is the late Asantehemaa
The burial of an Asantehemaa, queen mother of the Ashanti Kingdom, is a sacred state ritual known as Doteyie.
It is one of the most elaborate ceremonies in Asanteman, which blends custom, spirituality, and communal mourning.
The Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, died on August 07, 2025, after reigning for eight years on the stool.
As part of the preparations to bury her, a ban has been imposed on all funeral activities in Asanteman, starting from September 02, 2025, until after the burial on September 18, 2025.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, announcing the dates for the burial during the one-week rites for the late queen mother at the Manhyia palace on August 21, 2025, said the four-day burial rites will start from September 14 and end on September 18, 2025, at the Manhyia palace.
This GhanaWeb article explains how an Asantehemaa is buried.
Timing of the rites
According to an Asante Diplomacy Historian, Y A Gyamfi, unlike ordinary funerals, the Doteyie is not performed immediately after death.
It usually takes place between 40 and 80 days after the death of a queen mother. This is to allow time for careful preparations. The rites typically last for four days, reflecting their weight, importance and symbolism.
Lying in state
The body of the queen mother is laid in state at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
Here’s why there will be total silence, no movements in Asanteman on September 18
Chiefs, royals, dignitaries, and ordinary citizens file past to pay their last respects.
This marks the beginning of public mourning and gives Asanteman the chance to honour her.
Funeral gifts (Adesiedie)
Visitors present funeral gifts, called Adesiedie, which include gold dust, cloth, drinks, and money. These gifts serve two purposes:
• Spiritually, they prepare to support the queen mother’s journey into the ancestral world.
• Practically, they help sustain the cost of the elaborate rites.
Ritual mourning
Public mourning is expressed through dirges, ritual wailing, drumming, and musket firing.
Traditional ensembles play traditional drums such as Atumpan, Kete, and Fontomfrom, throughout the ceremony, symbolising both grief and reverence.
The Asantehene’s role
The Asantehene sits in state during the rites to receive delegations and mourners. This aspect of the funeral underscores the unity of the kingdom and reaffirms continuity in traditional authority.
Final burial
The burial itself takes place at dawn. Rites begin at the Bantama Mausoleum, before the queen mother’s remains are taken in a solemn procession to the royal mausoleum at Breman (Baamu) for interment.
On this night, a curfew is enforced along the funeral route to maintain order and preserve the sanctity of the ceremony.
Cultural meaning
The Doteyie is not merely a farewell; it reflects the Ashanti Kingdom’s belief in the immortality of the soul.
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The queen mother is escorted with dignity to join the ancestors, remembered as both a mother of Asanteman and a spiritual guardian of tradition.
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